Resident doctors threaten strike over salary delay, other issues

The National Association of Resident Doctors has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike over the failure of the Federal Government to address their demands and implement the agreements reached with the association in 2020.

Speaking in an interview with PUNCH HealthWise, NARD President, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, said the association had resolved to reappraise the outcomes of the meeting scheduled with the House of Representatives today (Tuesday).

“We have a meeting with the House of Representatives scheduled by the Speaker, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila; and the meeting is going to be chaired by Dr. Yusuf Sununu, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Healthcare Services.

“However, if we don’t get a favourable response, we will end up calling a strike by tomorrow (Wednesday),” he said.

Recall that the doctors had embarked on an industrial action on September 7, 2020, over government’s inability to meet their demands, including insurance package, payment of the outstanding COVID-19 allowances, as well as the payment of medical residency training fund.

In a communique made available to PUNCH HealthWise and signed by Okhuaihesuyi on Tuesday, the demands include the immediate payment of the salaries of House officers and some resident doctors, the payment of all minimum wage and other salary arrears to NARD members nationwide without further delay, and immediate implementation of 50 percent of consolidated basic salary as hazard allowance for all healthcare workers.

“Immediate payment of the Medical Residency Fund for 2021 with the arrears of 2019 and 2020 inclusive.

“That all training institutions be directed to stop the collection of Bench fee from our members since it was not captured in the Residency Training Fund as approved. That the Federal Government meet with immediate effect, all the agreements in the Memorandum of Terms of Settlement signed on 21st of April, 2020.

“That all clinical health workers be considered for COVID-19 vaccination and the other issues affecting efficient health care delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic including adequate provision of PPEs be addressed,” it noted.

Okhuaihesuyi added that some of the issues had lingered on for so long and had culminated in a nationwide industrial action on 14th September 2020, which was later suspended to give room for further negotiations and possible settlement.

He said “the unjust delay of salaries of our members (House officers and some resident doctors) on the GIFMIS platform for over three months now which has left them in agony.

“The imposition of Bench fee payment, which has brought untold hardship for the training of resident doctors.”